Donovan_Kaya______P3_U - Donovan Kaya P3 U.S History Ms...

Donovan Kaya P3 U.S. History
Ms. Hunsaker
The Early Americas
1. The First Americans
-Brief Summary: First people to reach america did so in Ice Age
A. Populations Spread
- A land bridge joined Siberia in northeastern Asia to present-day Alaska in North America
- This happened when glaciers locked up water causing water levels to drop
B. Adapting to Modifying Environments
- Hunters that used the land bridge had to learn to survive
- Slowly they spread across North America, and South America
- About 5,000 years ago people in Americans learned to grow crops
2. Olmecs Develop a Civilization
-Brief Summary: Farming brought the Olmecs a Civilization. We know this from the few
written records they left.
3. Mayan Civilization
- Brief Summary: The Mayas, just like many others, were influenced by the Olmecs. The
Mayan civilization allowed other city-states in Central America to southern Mexico to
thrive.
A. Mayan Social Classes
- Brief Summary: Nobles and Priest had high power while farmers and laborers were less
respected. Below farmers and laborers were slaves which were usually prisoners of war.
B. Achievements in Mathematics and Astronomy
- Brief Summary: Maya priests thought their gods controlled the natural world and studied
the stars hoping to learn something. Based on their observations priests made great
advances in astronomy and mathematics still used today.